The present invention relates to communication networks, and more particularly to networks providing electronic mail to a multiplicity of users.
A recent development is the wide use of network communications over the Internet, on which a wide variety of information is available in massive volumes using local telephone connections and personal computers. The Internet is actually a collection of networks and gateways that use the Transport Control Protocol/Interface Program (TCP/IP) suite of protocols that was developed by the U.S. Department of Defense. The local telephone connections are typically to nearby network server computers (servers) that have connections to other servers. Documents and other information are commonly stored on the Internet using Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) in HTML or ASP format in web sites that are implemented at associated servers, the sites being addressed and navigated by using xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d software of user""s computers, HTML being the language typically interpreted by web browsers to generate displaying using display files known as web pages. The Internet xe2x80x9caddressxe2x80x9d of a file, known as a URL, is typically of the form xe2x80x9chttp://www/[x][/y]xe2x80x9d, where [x] is a main address and [/y] is a directory path to a web page which may be located in a directory accessible to the server.
A great advantage of this technology is that a large segment of the general population has access to the Internet from home. However, although much of that information is provided free of charge, locating information relevant to a particular user""s needs can be a daunting task that involves sifting through great volumes of extraneous records. So it is with advertisements and product catalogs that may be accessible in the Internet, that potential customers are discouraged from seeking sources of goods and services that they desire.
Electronic mail, in addition to being implemented within particular local networks and organizational entities (Intranet), is also widely used on the Internet, the mail being typically held temporarily on the mass storage device of a mail server typically hosted by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to which the user subscribes. An Email Client, hosted by the user""s computer, may download, open, and display to the user the user""s electronic mail.
One result of the wide use of the Internet is a large volume of electronic mail traffic in the form of advertisements that are distributed to targeted users. However, advertisements in the form of electronic mail are expensive to provide to a large audience, particularly when the content is formatted together with a personalized message to each recipient. Also, many users will delete mail that is perceived to be advertising before actually viewing it, especially if it is the form of an attachment to a short message.
Thus there is a need for an efficient and inexpensive way to provide communications including large volumes of predefined information to a multiplicity of user destinations. There is a further need for an inexpensive and reliable means for tracking actual receipt of the information.
The present invention meets this need by providing a network data distribution system wherein predefined blocks of information can be transmitted to a multiplicity of users in connection with small electronic messages, but without being contained in the messages or being attachments of the messages. Instead, when the small message is opened by the user, a predetermined web page is automatically retrieved into the message, greatly expanding the message. Features that can be included in the system are visual notification that the expansion is complete without either being taken to a different web page if in a web page environment or without invoking a web browser if in an e-mail environment.
In one aspect of the invention, the system includes a server computer having means for receiving source files, and means for transmitting email files to a computer network for access by remote computers having email client computer software for displaying the email files; means for storing a script program as a portion of a first source file; means for storing a predefined message as a second source file; means for including in the script program a command that displays the predefined message by retrieving the second source file; and means for directing the first source file to an email address of a user.
The system can further include means for including tracking information in the first source file; and means for including in the script program a command for transmitting the tracking information to the server computer. The tracking information can include the user""s email address.
The system can further include means for including in the script program a command for passing information to the server computer; means for including in the script program a command for replacing a first image with a second image; means at the server computer for receiving the transmitted information; means at the server computer for transmitting a reply in response to the transmitted information; and means for including in the script program a command to execute the command for replacing in response to the reply. The command for passing the information can be executed in response to a user action directed to the first image. The reply can be transmitted upon completion of a task initiated in response to the user action.
In another aspect of the invention, a method for distributing a predetermined main message to a multiplicity of users includes the steps of:
(a) providing the main message at a main address;
(b) providing a script program including a command for retrieving the main message from the main address;
(c) inserting the script program in respective secondary messages;
(d) addressing the secondary messages to the multiplicity of users; and
(e) receiving the main message into each of the secondary messages upon execution of the script program.
The step of providing a script program can include a command for transmitting tracking information to the server computer upon execution of the script program.
In a further aspect of the invention, a method for distributing a plurality of main messages to a user includes the steps of:
(a) providing a plurality of main messages;
(b) locating one of the main messages at a main address;
(c) providing a script program including a command for retrieving from the main address the located message;
(d) inserting the script program in a secondary message;
(e) addressing the secondary message to the user;
(f) receiving the located message into the secondary message upon execution of the script program; and
(g) locating a different one of the main messages at the main address, whereby the different main message is received into the secondary message upon a subsequent execution of the script program.
The locating step can be periodically repeated, thereby facilitating subscription to periodical publications based on a single secondary message.
In yet a further aspect of the invention, a method for distributing from a first location a predetermined message to a user at a second location and signaling completion of a user-initiated transaction includes the steps of:
(a) providing the message, the message containing a first image;
(b) providing a script program segment having a command for replacing the first image with a second image, and a command for passing information to the first location in response to user input at the second location;
(c) inserting the script program into the message;
(d) addressing the message to the user at the second location from the first location;
(e) at the first location, receiving information passed in response to the user input at the second location;
(f) transmitting a reply from the first location to the second location in response to the passed information; and
(g) executing the command for replacing the first image with the second image, thereby graphically displaying at the second location receipt of the passed information at the first location.
The method can include the further step of completing a task at the second location in response to receipt of the passed information, and wherein the step of transmitting the reply is performed upon completion of the task, thereby providing visual confirmation of task completion.